78 



Frince Bismarck arid his Policy. 



he was the object of admiration and reverence of all abso- 

 lutistic circles, and an object of hatred and fear of the 

 liberal element of the people. 



The increasing cry after a constitution, more earnestly 

 pressed by assemblies and municipalities ; the signs in the 

 religious world ; the holy of coat Trier, German Catho- 

 licism ; the growing discontent of the workingmen ; a 

 flood of revolutionary pamphlets ; the new Polish insur- 

 rection under Mieroslawsky ; the open revolt at Krakau ; 

 the open letter of Christian YIII. of Denmark — all these 

 events furnished plenty of material for Bismarck's political 

 predilections. 



The ministry of Eichorn was unable to stem the tide of 

 radicalism, which slowly but surely came across the Rhine. 

 A royal decree of Feb. 13, 1843 called the United Diet 

 (Landtag), of which Prince Bismarck was a member. 

 Before he appeared upon the battle ground he married 

 Johanna von Puttkammer, of one of the oldest houses of 

 the Prussian nobility. This happy union brought him 

 that freshness of heart and mind, for which he had longed. 



There were three parties in the united Landtag: 



1. The royalistic party, which recognized in the February 

 patent the utmost limit of concessions. 



2. The party of parliamentary monarchy, which aimed at 

 a constitution, based upon the February patent, and 

 which advocated the dignity of the crown and the fulfill- 

 ment of the just demands of the people ; and 



3. The radical party, which aimed at a diminution of 

 royal prerogatives. 



Bismarck belonged to the second party. His motto was, 

 a nation without a strong administration is lost; to protect 

 royalty, is to strengthen the nation, and give it that free- 

 dom, under whose wings every citizen can securely live and 

 enjoy his own. In advocating these principles he made 

 bitter enemies in both parties, whose animosity increased 



